Sorceress
by sasha1988
Summary: A young girl, with the power to change the world, embarks on a life-changing adventure that will determine the fate of all
1. Prologue

From a time when she was just a baby, she had played with the balls of light her parents could conjure. Her fathers a rich aqua in colour and her mothers a soft lavender. The colours of their lights showed the strength of their magic. Growing up, she wanted to learn the secret.

"Focus your thoughts on a round shape. Don't let any other thought enter your mind. The more powerful among us can change the shape of the light, but more often than not we can only create a ball of light. Our people's power is fading" her father told her.

Night after night she tried to create the light, focusing all her thought on it. But no light showed. After a few nights of her futile efforts, her father stood outside, looking up at the stars, feeling an overwhelming sense of loss. His daughter wasn't one of them. In the distance, he heard her approach.

Standing beside her father, she looked at the starry sky. A star shot across the sky. It was in that instant she understood. "Energy" she whispered, holding out her hand. Her father spun around in time to see a blast of light. Rubbing his eyes, he looked back at his daughter. In her hand sat a perfectly round ball of light, pure gold in colour. As they stared at the light, the young girl shifted her thought to flowers. Immediately, the light began to pulse and expand before settling in the shape of a rose. "Impossible" her father exclaimed.

Footsteps echoed in the quiet night, towards them. A cloaked man stepped out of the shadows, looking intently at the young child. Throwing a ball of orange light at her father, he seized her upper arm, pulling her away. "Daddy" she screamed. Her father leapt up off the ground, jumping on the man. "Get over the mountains" he panted "I will find you". Not looking back, she ran.

A week alter, a small and weary child, with flaming red-gold hair, stepped out of the woods that grew between the mountains and the village on the other side. A woman from the village spotted the child, running over to her. Utterly exhausted, the child raised her head. "Where's daddy" she moaned. The woman gently picked her up, turning back to the village. "We'll find him dear! What's your name?" The child's eyes fluttered for a moment before she whispered "Khian", then fainted.


	2. Truths and Arrivals

Several years had past since Tira had witnessed a young girl stagger out of the forest towards her village. Exhausted, and calling for her father, Tira had taken the girl, called Khian, into her home. Many fruitless attempts had been made to find Khian's father, but as the years wore on, Khian accepted how things were.

Khian had grown into a beautiful young child. She had red-gold hair that fell to her waist. She was average height for her age and of slender build. Tira knew in a few years Khian would become the beauty of the village. And that worried her.

Tira accepted Khian as part of her family, as did her son Perrin. It wasn't easy for Tira to bring up the two children on her own, but they were both well loved and looked after, and they all shared a special bond. Sometimes, Khian reminded Tira of her daughter who had gone missing as a baby not two years before Khian appeared, but she pushed the thought away, trying to focus on the present and not dwell on the past.

When Tira accepted Khian into her home, she was generally accepted into the village. No one knew of her talent with magic save Tira and Perrin. The villagers feared magic. As much as she tried to fit in, Khian always felt different. None of the villagers had the gift of magic and many of the children were afraid of her. Still, she had Perrin, so things weren't too difficult, providing she kept her temper under control and her magic hidden. Given how often her temper had flared up in the past Khian didn't think life could get any more difficult. However, things were about to get a lot worse.

******************

As the sun rose, early one spring morning, Perrin crossed the grass plain, heading for Lake Tempa. It was the main lake of the village, flowing down from the mountain, crystal clear in colour and rich in taste.

As he expected, Khian was perched on a rock, dipping her fingers into the cool water, watching the ripples as they expanded then faded. It was her favourite thinking spot. Smiling slightly, Perrin crossed to her and sat down.

"I don't like it when I can't control things" she muttered to Perrin. He knew what she meant. Only a few days ago she had done the Doubles. It was a test all the village children took when they turned 10, to decide what their future learning path would be. The children answered a series of questions about their beliefs, abilities and ambitions. Then they spent a day with each of the main workers from the village – the baker, butcher, lady's maid, seamstress, cavalry and the school. It was the ambition of the boys to become a knight in the cavalry and the girls to become a lady's maid. Khian was worried what it would show.

Perrin stood up and pulled Khian to her feet. "I know" he said "but I bet you will face it without fear, like the tiger I know you to be". This was a standard joke between them, as Khian could be as friendly as a house cat but when her temper flared she was as fierce as a tiger. A grin played upon her face as they headed back to the house for breakfast, before heading to the learning hut.

********************

The learning hut was a medium sized house with only one room. All the children, regardless of age, gathered there to do their lessons until they reached the age of 16, when they would become an apprentice to their learning area. The hut had specifically been built for teaching and was never used as anything else.

When all the village children had gathered into the hut, their teacher, Larn, called Khian to the front. She would be told of her learning path and then the morning lessons would begin. Larn had watched Khian from the day she became part of the village, and he was also worried about how she would react to the results of her doubles.

"Khian" he began "your path is not one we have seen for many generations and is not one that any of us can follow. Because of this we do not have a proper teacher for you". Khian licked her lips forcing herself to speak. "What is my path, Larn?" she whispered. Larn looked at her for a moment with pity before replying. "You know where your path is. You are magic".

A gasp echoed through the hut. The other children looked at each other, some with fear in their eyes but most with triumph. Now the truth was confirmed.

Yes, she did know, thought Khian, but no one else did accept for Tira and Perrin. As tears formed in her eyes, Khian willed herself to stay strong. "Thank you Larn. The master will be here later today." "What master" Larn asked anxiously. Khian fought to keep control of her emotions as she spoke. "I don't know who he is but he sent a message to say he was coming."

Khian wasn't sure how she got through the morning lessons, but the minute they were excused, she fled. She wondered around for some time, not caring where she walked. She was confused and needed to think. Sometime later she found herself at the edge of the forest. The forest looked at her jeeringly. "Why am I different" she screamed.

Just then, a voice spoke from behind her. "Show us your magic witch". Khian took a calming breath before turning around. She knew the villagers were afraid of magic. She had also heard tales of people with magic being killed by those who knew of their talent. Most people considered it a curse. Several boys and a few girls stood with their hands behind their backs. Khian eyed them warily. "What did you call me?" she challenged.

A boy at the front of the group snickered. "Witch. And this is how we deal with you". Every child brought a stick from behind their back. Anger flared through Khian as she narrowed her eyes. Allowing the anger to flow through her body, Khian was suddenly illuminated by a gold light, her eyes reflective. The sticks burst into flames as screams echoed across the village.

Perrin leapt up, racing towards the forest. He stopped dead at the sight of Khian, wreathed in gold light. "Khian NO" he cried in anguish. He knew what the village would do to her. "Stop" he pleaded. Khian ignored him, taking another step towards the frightened children. A movement from within the forest caught Perrin's eye. As he whipped around, a short man, clothed entirely in blue, stepped out, looking at Khian.

"Hello Khian" he said pleasantly. Khian turned. Spotting the man, she lowered her energy level, turning the blinding gold light to a dim shine. "I think that's enough now" he said. Khian stood, watching him and deciding what to do. The strange man raised an eyebrow, never taking his eyes of Khian. With a sigh she closed off her magic. The gold light vanished. Bowing before the man she replied "Hello Master".

**********************

It was late afternoon by the time Perrin could find Khian again. She and the strange man had walked off as soon as he appeared, talking as if they were old friends. Perrin felt left out, a little angry, and very worried. As soon as Perrin saw Khian, he pounced.

"Do you know that man?" he asked. Khian shook her head. "No, but I knew he was coming. He will be my teacher". Khian smiled as he asked the one question she knew he would, without thinking about what he was saying. "What will he teach you?" Khian held out her hand, allowing the magic to flow through and produce a ball of golden light. "How to control and use my magic".


	3. Training

Khian and Mason, for that was the old man's name, met every morning at the edge of the forest. They held her training in the forest so no one could interrupt them. Mason was impressed by Khian's talent, but he was also worried. Untamed magic was dangerous. While Khian was able to produce magic beyond the ability of most trained magicians, she could not perform simple magic. And it was that he was trying to teach her.

Mason had worked with Khian to try and teach her how to light a candle without shattering it, to dry a piece of clothing without setting it alight and to create a small breeze without it escalating into a hurricane. It was essential she learned to control the three elements, fire, water and air, before he taught her the hardest – earth. As Mason prepared to leave his hut to head to the forest, he couldn't help but wonder what disaster would occur today.

*****************************

About five months had passed since Khian began her training with the master. He lived in a hut on the outskirts of the village, as the villagers wouldn't accept him as one of them. Khian wasn't really accepted anymore either. As she waited at the edge of the forest for Mason, Khian looked across the field back towards the village. Since the villagers had learned of her 'talent', it had become more of a place she had to stay rather than a home. Khian's gaze drifted to the mountain that rose behind the forest. The master had mentioned something about going over the mountains, but all she could do was wait. He wasn't one to be pushed into anything before he was ready.

Khian looked back over the village. She had tried to create a small breeze yesterday, as part of her training. The village children had laughed at her earlier saying she wasn't even a real witch because she couldn't really do magic. She had been thinking about that when the magic went wrong. Before she had realised, the breeze had spun out of her control. The entire village had been destroyed. Roofs were torn off huts and tossed hundreds of metres away and most of the trees in the village had been uprooted. The forest remained untouched. Mason had repaired the village in an instant but Khian was frustrated. Why couldn't she control it? She sighed, fidgeting while waiting for the master.

Mason appeared next to Khian so silently it seemed like he appeared out of thin air. Khian jumped in fright. Mason stood laughing as she picked herself off the ground. "Gets you every time" he laughed, wiping tears from his eyes. Khian blushed, trying to ignore the urge to throw water at him, knowing he'd turn it around in an instant and drench her. She'd learned that one the hard way. She waited for Mason to stop laughing before they entered the forest. Although she loved the forest it was still frightening to a child of 10. She never entered the forest alone.

Khian loved the walk through the forest so early in the morning. The sun was just beginning its climb into the sky, showering rays through the gaps in the trees, giving the forest the effect of looking full of gold trees and shrubs. She got great pleasure watching the forest animals wake. Each animal woke in a different way and the cheerful chatter of the birds always picked up her mood.

A pathway wove through the forest, winding between the trees. It had been made by various people who walked through the forest, generally hunting. It was a dull brown in colour but the path still looked inviting. On either side of the path were lush green shrubs. Khian didn't know what they were but they were always green. In summer, the shrubs were a haven for insects, which left during the winter. In Khian's opinion, there was nothing prettier than seeing a perfectly green shrub sprinkled with snow in the winter and glowing insects in the summer.

A movement in the greenery caught Khian's eye and she looked up in time to see a few squirrels racing through the undergrowth, searching for the last remaining nuts. Khian sighed sadly. The oncoming winter meant the animals would start to hibernate soon. And she would miss them. It also meant the start of the 'hungry' season, as Khian called it. As Khian and Mason neared the clearing, where she had her training, she wondered where they would go to practice during the winter. It would be too cold in the forest and Khian hated the cold. She hoped the master did too.

When Khian and Mason reached the clearing, and Mason produced a candle, Khian rolled her eyes. She had been trying for weeks to light the candle without shattering it, but she couldn't do it. Almost immediately she felt herself fly into the air momentarily before slamming back to the ground, landing heavily on her back. She lay winded for a few moments before she pulled herself into a sitting position and glared at her master.

Mason met her gaze squarely, channels of communication flowing between them silently. Only one would win this argument and it wasn't usually Khian. After about a minute of intense 'battle' Khian looked away, muttering her apology. The master didn't tolerate any sort of resignation. That didn't get results. She would just have to learn.

Mason placed the candle on the ground. Instead of going through his usual lecture on how to produce the flame, which Khian had heard many times over, he simply stated "you know what to do" and stood back. Khian sat confused for a moment at this new development before turning to face the candle. She began to focus her energy, thinking only of the roaring fire she wanted to create. In a split second, the candle had shattered. Tears pierced Khian's eyes but she blinked them away. She wouldn't cry. That would make her weak. Mason placed another candle on the ground and waited.

Khian stared at the candle, thinking through the process. She didn't understand what was going wrong. Mason had said to visualise the kind of fire she needed to create. She was doing that. She could easily visualise a beautiful, roaring fire, crackling…Khian paused frowning. She had an idea. "Master, what will happen if you force a big object into a small one?" she asked. Mason looked at the 10 year old sitting before him. Raising his eyebrows he replied "it will shatter. For example, if you freeze a container of water and there is no room for the ice to expand the container will shatter". A smile played on Khian's face.

Turning back, she focused her thoughts on the candle, trying to visualise a smaller and harmless flame. For a while, nothing happened. "Okay" thought Khian, "I need to change the thought slightly". Khian tried to remember what the candles back at Tira's house looked like when they were alight. "They're still dangerous, but they're controlled" she realised. Focusing her thoughts directly at the candle again, Khian pictured a small light, enough to spread light around a room but not enough to cause damage. The candle before her flickered for a moment, before lighting. Khian burst into tears in relief.

"When you visualise something too big, you get the results you're thinking of. Think smaller and you get a smaller result" Mason said, patting her on the back. Khian smiled through her tears, watching the flickering flame and the melted wax running down the candle. Mason smiled back at her. "Now do it again" he commanded, a twinkle visible in his eye, and he blew the candle out.

************************************

Mason watched Khian as she skipped happily through the forest, talking excitably about her success. She had lit the candle more times than he could count without shattering it. And just before they finished for the day she had put the candle out. Mason smiled. Things were coming along nicely.

"Master, are you even listening to me?" Khian's disappointed voice cut through his thoughts and he looked up, surprised. They had reached the edge of the forest. It was nearly midday and the village was bathed in sunlight.

Mason smiled warmly at Khian. "Lost in my thoughts I'm afraid. What were you saying?" Khian scowled. "I said I've never seen a bird like that before" she exclaimed, pointing. Mason followed the direction she was pointing at. Sitting in the tree about ten metres away was a majestic white bird. It sat watching the pair intently. The smile fell from Mason's face. Khian shifted uncomfortably. "She's found me" he muttered angrily. Suddenly the bird flew off the tree, heading over the forest towards the mountain.

A low whistle rung through the air. Khian looked a Mason, startled, but he was staring intently at the bird. Looking back at it, Khian was surprised to see it hovering. It almost seemed like it couldn't decide whether to keep flying or come back. Mason whistled again, but at a higher pitch. The bird turned and flew down to Mason, settling on his hand. "She won't be getting her messenger back for a while" she said to it. He started heading back to his hut, calling over his shoulder for Khian to follow.

When they arrived at the masters hut, Mason put the bird in a small cage, muttering as he did so. "Master, isn't it just a bird" Khian inquired nervously. "Not really" he replied. "Sit down, Khian. We need to talk."


End file.
